Metallurgical furnace.



No. t532,265.

UNITED STATES Patented June 3(1), 193.

PATENT IOFEICE.

MARTIN PRIOR BOSS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR "TO THEHYDRO-CARBON SMELTING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIR- GINIA. V

MJETALLU RGlCAL FU RNACE- SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatentNo. 732,265, dated June 30, 1903. Application'flled March 26,1902. Serial No. 100,016. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN PRIOR Boss, a citizen of the United States,vresiding at San Francisco, county of San Francisco, State ofCalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMetallurgical Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a furnace adapted lo to carry into effect all ofthe metallurgical operations necessary to extract a metal from its oreand convert it into pig metal.

My invention consists in the construction and arrangement of thechambers in which I5 the metallurgical operations are eifected, to themeans described for creating the required atmosphere in said chambers,and generally to various details of construction of the furnace. p

The object of my invention is to carry on all of the metallurgicaloperations necessary to reduce a metal from its ore within a singlestructure, and thereby reduce the cost of handling, as well as the fueland time neces- 2 5 sary to produce the pig metal.

A further object of my invention is to produce the metallurgical resultsnecessary through the influence of radiated heat and properly-directedair-currents, instead of, as

3o has heretofore been the practice, through the direct application ofheat.

The accompanying drawings will serve to illustrate my invention, inwhich similar numerals indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a vertical section. Fig. 2 is a plan view taken on the lineX X of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line Y Y of Fig. 1.

In the drawings the furnace is shown as 4o provided withl threechambers-. e., 5, calcining-chamber, where the ore is calcined orroasted; 6, reducing chamber, where the metal under treatment ispartially separated from thematerials with which it is combined; 7,oxidizing chamber, where the metal is finally separated from thematerials with which it was combined. The chambers 5 and 6 are providedwith inclined hearths S 9, while the chamber 7 has a horizontal hearth5o 10. The hearth 8 is suitably supported on arches 11, and under thehearths 9 and 10 is lsituated a cave 12, by means of which air may becaused to traverse under these hearths. I do not consider this caveessential and it may be omitted.

Connected to the upper portion of the calcining-chamber 5 is a iiue 13,connecting with the chimney-stack. Also connected to the upper part ofthe calcining-chamber is a feed-hopper 14. Arranged to reciprocate overthe hearth of the chamber 5 is a rake 15, which is merely indicated inthe drawings. The sides of the calcining-chamber are provided with doors16, through which handrakes may be introduced to push the material uponthe hearth forward toward the reducingchamber G. The chamber Lisconnected to the chamber G through the opening 17. The chamber G is madeof larger size, and in the top of this chamber is provided a door 1S,through which air may be admitted to the interior of the furnace.-Anotherdoor 19 is located at the back of the chamber and is providedwith a sliding cover 20. Located over the cover 2O are a series ofhydrocarbonburners 21.

, Located within the lower portion of the furnace and projectinginwardly from the side walls are a pair of burners 22. Located in thefront Wall of the oxidizing-chamber is an air-door 23, provided with asliding cover 24, and located over this cover is a series ofhydrocarbon-burners 25.

The burners 21, 22, and 25 are connected together through the pipe 26,connected to the source of supply. I do not limitmyself in any wise tothe class of burners employed, as they may be burners with which ahydrocarbon and air Inay be used or a hydrocarbon and steam, the steamor air being under pressure. g

Located in the oxidizing-chamber isa slagdam 27 andin front of thisslag-dam asla'gdoor 2S.

29 represents a door through which the refined metal may be drawn fromthe furnace.

The roof of the chambers 6 and 7 is preferably formed of a series ofbricks 30, between which are embedded a series of parallel pipes 31,through which a cooling iiuid is transmitted. This uid may be air orwater, and the steam generated may be used for various purposes.

The dotted lines $52 in chambers G and 7 indicate, respectively, the oreunder treatment in the reducing-chamber and the fluid metal and slag inthe oxidizing-chamber.

The operation of my device is as follows: The ore is introduced throughthe hopper 14 and falls into the calcining-ehamber 5. After remaining`in the calcini11g-chamber the required time, which depends upon thecharacter of the ore, generally three or four hours, the ore is pushedforward by the action of the rake 15 or through hand-rakes introducedthrough the door 16 and caused to fall into the reducing-chamber 6.VThis chamber is of considerable size and is purposely so made. In thischamber the ore is subjected to the action, first, of the heat passingfrom the chamber 7 toward the Hue 13; second, to the heat due to thedecomposition of the combustible constituents of the ore within thechamber, and, third, heat due to the action of the hydrocarbon-burners21 22. Combustion within this chamber is promoted by the air introducedthrough the doors 1S and 19. The amount of air may be determined bycontrolling these air-passages. The chalnber G is preferably made solarge as to permit of free dcveloplnent of llame from the burners 21 22.In other words, it is my desire and object to cause the fla-me fromthese burners to sweep along the roof of the chamber and not come incontact with the body of orc in the chamber.` By providing for suchmovement of the flame the heating effect of the dame is by radiation andnot by direct contact. In p actiee I have found that the resultsobtained by using such a flame so directed are better than where theiiame is caused to impinge upon the material within the chamber. As theore is decomposed in the chamber (3 it gradually moves toward thechamber 7, the slag moving before the ore. The chamber 7 is alsopreferably iliade sufficiently large to permit free development of amefrom the burners 25. As the slag moves forward it is stopped by the dam27 and is drawn off through the slagdoor 28. The ore which is depositedin the chamber 7 is gradually deprived of its accompanying material bythe action of the oxidizing-dame derived from the burners 25 andair-door 2i. In some cases l find it desirable to introduce fluxingmaterials into this chamber to unite with the impurities.

I wish it understood that I do not limit myself to the preciseconstruction of the furnace shown and described-that is to say, therespective chambers may -be given slightlydifferent shapes withoutdeparting from the intent of my invention. I wish it understood,however, that I consider it part of my invention to so construct thereducing and oxidizing chambers that the heating-flames introducedwithin such chambers shall be freely developed within the chambers, notbrought in contact with the materials in the chambers, and transmittheir heat entirely by radiation.

I'Iaving thus described my invention, I claim- 1. A metallurgicalfurnace comprising a chamber, means for creating a reducing atmospherein said chamber, a second chamber connected to the first-named chamber,means for creating an oxidizing atmosphere in said chamber, the saidmeans for creating the required atmospheres having such a locationrelative to the hearths and tops of said chambers that gaseous iiamesmay be freely developed within such chambers without contact with thematerial under treatment within the chambers.

2. A metallurgical furnace comprising a chamber having an inclinedhearth, means for creating a reducing atlnosphere in said chamber, asecond chamber having a horizontal hearth and connected to thefirst-named chamber, means for creating an oxidizing atmosphere in saidchamber, the said means for creating the required atmospheres havingsuch a location relative to the hearths and tops of said chambers thatgaseous flames may be freely developed within such chambers withoutcontact with the material under treatment within the chambers.

A metallurgical furnace comprising a calcining-chamber, a chamber havingan inclined hearth, means for creating a reducing atmosphere in saidchamber, a third chamber having a horizontal hearth and connected to thesecond-named chamber, means for creating an oxidizing atmosphere in saidchamber, the said means for creating the required atmospheres havingsuch a location relative to the hearths and tops of said chambers thatgaseous fiames may be freely developed Within such chambers Withoutcontact with the material under treatment Within the chambers.

4. A metallurgical furnace comprising in its construction, two chambersconnected at one end, means located at the ends of therespectivechambers opposite the point of connection and intermediate of the hearthand roof of said chambers for introducing fuel and air, whereby gaseousflames may be freely developed without contact with the material withinthe chambers, and a reducing atmosphere created in one chamber and anoxidizing atmosphere in the other chamber.

5. A metallurgical furnace comprising a chamber, means for creating areducing atmosphere in said chamber, a second chamber connected to thefirst-named chamber, means for creating an oxidizing atmosphere in saidchamber, and means for introducing gaseous fuel into thereducing-chamber at about its point of connection with theoxidizing-chamber.

G. A metallurgical furnace comprising two communicating chambers andfour sources of heat within said chambers, two of said sourcesdelivering iiames opposed to each other and IIO longitudinally of thefurnace, and two of said sources opposed to each other and transverselyof the furnace.

7. A metallurgical furnace provided with a chamber in which calcinationof ore may be effected, a second chamber connected at its top to thecalcining-chamber and provided with means for creating` a reducingatmosphere, and a third chamber connected to the bottom of thereducing-chamber and provided with means for creating an oxidizingatmosphere.

8. A metallurgical furnace having` a chamber in whichcalcination of theore may be n 5 effected, a fine near the upper end of the cal-

